| 1. The Basics | | | | You should expect successful patents from the patent |
| A patent lawyer must have graduated from law | | | | attorney that you hire. Following are a series of |
| school like any other lawyer. That's where the similarity | | | | questions that you should ask when interviewing |
| ends. A patent counselor must also have a degree in | | | | potential patent counsel.a. How many patents have |
| a science or technical discipline. The best ones will | | | | you written?b. Have any of your patents ever been |
| have experience working in their chosen technical | | | | challenged?c. Have any of your patents ever been |
| specialty before studying law. Wide and varied | | | | overturned?d. What percentage of the patents that |
| experience in writing patents is also a big plus. | | | | you have written have been financially successful for |
| 2. Deep Knowledge In The Field Of Your Invention | | | | the inventor? |
| Knowledge in the field of your invention is vital. A | | | | The answers to these questions will give you a good |
| biologist would not likely be a good candidate for | | | | means of comparison between patent lawyer |
| writing a patent in the field of electronics. However, a | | | | candidates. |
| good patent attorney will have education and/or | | | | 4. Affordable |
| experience in several technical fields. A patent agent | | | | Large patent law firms in big cities can be very |
| (one who has a technical college degree and has | | | | expensive. The positive is they can afford to hire |
| passed the patent bar, but is not a lawyer) might be a | | | | diverse talent on staff. Conversely the smaller firm in a |
| better choice, if their technical education and | | | | smaller city can be a bargain, if they have the right |
| experience is a close match for the field of your | | | | patent counsel needed for your project. Shopping |
| invention. | | | | different firms in different cities can yield big dividends. |
| 3. Successful Patents | | | | |